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axariotisxy

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I love making soups in winter and I thought I'd share with you my favorites. What are yours?

Avgolemono - A classic - my family used to make this once a week! The ultimate comfort food for me.

Fasolada - I will be making this soon - I found a bag of the white beans in my pantry.

Revithosoupa - this one is an easy supper for me - I use canned chickpeas, which I always have on hand.

Kakavia - I love to eat this and order it at restaurants when I see it. It's a lot of work to make, but when I do make it, it's totally worth it.
 
Mine is kotosoupa, which is, strangely, what Americans call Avgolemono.. if you ask for avgolemono in Greece you'll get the sauce that goes on dolmades.

Lentils, fasolada, and patsa are all a close second.
 
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I love making soups in winter and I thought I'd share with you my favorites. What are yours?

Avgolemono - A classic - my family used to make this once a week! The ultimate comfort food for me.

Fasolada - I will be making this soon - I found a bag of the white beans in my pantry.

Revithosoupa - this one is an easy supper for me - I use canned chickpeas, which I always have on hand.

Kakavia - I love to eat this and order it at restaurants when I see it. It's a lot of work to make, but when I do make it, it's totally worth it.
Avgolemeno and mageritsa (lamb tripe soup)
 
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These all sound great - I eat mageritsa once a year and love it - I have never made it though. Thanks for sharing ... And yes, I noticed that about kotosoupa - it also doesn't seem as common in Greece as it is in the United States? Unless I just didn't look for it in Greece...
 
These all sound great - I eat mageritsa once a year and love it - I have never made it though. Thanks for sharing ... And yes, I noticed that about kotosoupa - it also doesn't seem as common in Greece as it is in the United States? Unless I just didn't look for it in Greece...
Kotosoupa is just as common in Greece as it is in the United States. Giouvarlakia is another good one!
 
My favorites are lentil soup, avgolemono chicken soup, and the Greek tomato soup with orzo. Granted, the tomato soup doesn't taste as good this time of year as it does during the summer, but I still love it.
 

What herbs do you use when making Greek stuffed zucchini?

I've been thinking about making Greek stuffed zucchini (kolokithakia gemista), and I'm curious about which herbs everyone uses in the filling. I've seen quite a few variations, and it seems like the combination of herbs can really influence the overall flavor of the dish.

Some recipes use plenty of fresh dill and parsley, while others include mint or even a little oregano. I've also noticed that some people add green onions for extra flavor. I'm wondering whether certain herbs are considered more traditional, especially when making stuffed zucchini with rice and ground meat.

Do you use a combination of herbs, or do you prefer to keep the seasoning fairly simple? Does your family have a particular recipe that has been passed down through generations?

I'm especially interested in how the herbs complement the avgolemono sauce. What combination do you think gives Greek stuffed zucchini the best flavor?

Do You Make Avgolemono Thick or Brothy?

I usually prefer avgolemono somewhere in the middle. I don’t like it so thick that it feels almost like a cream soup, but I also don’t want it completely thin and brothy. For me, the best version has enough egg and lemon to give the broth some body while still keeping it light.

A lot probably depends on what kind of avgolemono you’re making, too. In chicken soup, I like it a little more brothy because I want the rice or orzo and chicken to still stand out. With something like lahanodolmades, I don’t mind the avgolemono sauce being thicker because it is coating the food rather than serving as the soup itself.

The lemon level matters just as much as the thickness. I like enough lemon to make it bright and noticeable, but not so much that it overwhelms everything else. I think balance is really the key.

Do You Put Cinnamon in Your Keftedes?

I’m curious how everyone here makes keftedes, especially when it comes to cinnamon. I know some Greek families add a little cinnamon to the meat mixture, while others would never think of putting it in.

In my experience, even a small amount can change the flavor quite a bit. It gives the keftedes a warmer, slightly sweeter spice in the background, but I can also see how it might not be for everyone. I’ve had versions that lean more heavily on oregano, mint, parsley, garlic, and onion instead.

Do you put cinnamon in your keftedes? If you do, how much do you usually use, and was that something your family always did? I’d also be curious to know if it varies depending on what part of Greece your family comes from.

Would love to hear how everyone seasons theirs and what you consider essential for really good keftedes.

Do you make your pastitsio with a thick or thin layer of krema?

I've always preferred my pastitsio with a nice, thick layer of béchamel on top. To me, that's one of the best parts of the dish! I love when the krema is rich, creamy, and thick enough to hold its shape when you cut into the pastitsio.

The problem is that I've been having trouble getting my krema just right. Sometimes it comes out too thin, and other times the texture isn't quite as smooth as I'd like. I've tried adjusting the amount of flour and milk, but I still haven't found the perfect balance.

I'm curious how everyone else makes theirs. Do you prefer a thick layer of béchamel or just enough to cover the pasta? Does your family add eggs or cheese to the mixture?

I'd especially love to hear any tips for making a thick, smooth krema that sets beautifully when baked!

Favorite Greek Cheeses Beyond Feta

Feta gets most of the attention when people talk about Greek cheese, but there are so many other varieties worth trying. I’m curious which Greek cheeses everyone enjoys most beyond feta.

Graviera is one of my favorites because it works so well on a cheese plate, grated over dishes, or just eaten with bread. Kasseri is another one I really like, especially melted. I’ve also been interested in trying more regional cheeses like metsovone, manouri, kefalotyri, and formaela.

Some Greek cheeses seem to be much easier to find outside Greece than others, so I’d also love to know which ones people regularly buy and where they usually find them.

What Greek cheeses do you keep coming back to? Are there certain ones you associate with a particular region, dish, or family tradition? And if someone has mostly eaten feta, which Greek cheese would you recommend they try next?
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